The Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong province has initiated Key-Area R&D Program application of “New generation of artificial intelligence” 2020~2021. Details of application requirements are as follows:

1.Funding fields

This program set three subjects with thirteen sub-topics. Through focus on the core scientific and technological innovation and needs in the field of artificial intelligence, it strives to fully transform the basic theories and core technologies of artificial intelligence into practical applications, and will achieve a forward-looking layout.

※ Please find more details of research fields as attached(Annex 1-Guide).

2.Funding amount and duration

The duration of the project is three to four years and the average funding intensity is about ten to fifteen million yuan per project (please refer Annex 1-Guide for more details).

3.Procedure of application

Applicants shall fill out application forms in Chinese and upload needful attachments(including academic achievements, cooperation agreement, Letter of commitment for authenticity(template can be downloaded from application system and need to be stamped by the university) and any other supplementary documents) online via the application system ( http://pro.gdstc.gd.gov.cn/ ) by 18:00 on Dec. 1, 2020, without submitting any hard copies.

※ For applicants who have no login ID for online application, please send your name, academic title, email address, telephone number to kevingao@cuhk.edu.cn by Nov. 11, 2020 to open account.

4. Other requirements

A. Applicants are encouraged to conduct high-quality collaborative research with researchers from research institutes, enterprises and universities in domestic.

B. The number of collaborative institutions for per-project shall not exceed nine while cooperation agreements（the agreement should include terms of division of labor, funding allocation for partners, ownership of intellectual property, etc.）shall be signed by the applicants and the whole collaborative institutions.

C. Assessment indicators shall be filled in on the basis of truth. Once the project is approved, the assessment indicators shall not be modified or adjusted.

D. Applicants from enterprises shall be assigned as PI which is a prerequisite requirement for most of those sixteen sub-topics in line with the guide. For PI from CUHK(SZ), the self-raised funds shall be provided by enterprises(as main participant) and not less than half of the total funds.

E. Application limit

• Shall only apply for (as applicant and main participant) one project at most for each applicant; Meanwhile, the CUHK(SZ) shall only submit (as applicant and main participant) three projects in total;
• The total number of provincial research projects a researcher undertakes as the PI should not exceed three;
• For conclusion of provincial research projects which exist the situation of one year overdue, the PI shall not apply for this program;
• The PI who has the unaccomplished projects of provincial major program and key area R&D program shall not apply for this program as applicant; however, application is allowed as main participant;
• The same project will not be funded repeatedly.

F. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Evaluation. The special fund mainly supports project with TRL 3 to 6 at the stage of application and shall reach TRL 7 to 9 when project conclusion(please refer Annex 2 for TRL norms). Applicants shall elaborate on this part in the report as required and upload supporting documents to application system.

G. Research objectives shall obtain high-quality intellectual property. Applicants shall elaborate on this part in the report and upload supporting documents to application system in line with the guide on high-quality intellectual property analysis and evaluation(please refer Annex 3).

H. Applicants shall read the application guide(Annex 1-Guide )carefully for more specific requirements.

Contact information

Gao Shang         kevingao@cuhk.edu.cn